Frequently Asked Questions  

1. Why did we form the Academy of Veterinary Technician Anesthetists?

Veterinary medicine has seen a rapid growth in knowledge and technology in the past several years. Technicians have worked along with veterinarians during this period of rapid growth and change. Like the veterinarian, it is difficult for the technician to keep abreast of all the changes that are occurring. Those technicians that work with a specialist (e.g. surgery, anesthesia, and emergency and critical care) find themselves being channeled into those areas of specialization. It would only seem natural to recognize those technicians who have achieved a broad base of knowledge and skill in their area of specialization.  

We hope that certification in this specialty will achieve wide recognition and enhance the self-esteem of veterinary technicians. We also want to promote consumer protection, professionalism, and excellence in anesthesia care. Some may question whether or not this will increase the pay for technicians, that's not for us to say. We did not do this with financial gain in mind. If a technician should receive a higher salary or obtain a position because of their certification we consider that an extra added benefit.   

Becoming a member requires a lot of hard but rewarding work. You will be required to submit your qualifications to the credentials committee. Credentials include: Certified, Licensed, or Registered as a Veterinary Technician or a graduate of a AVMA approved Veterinary Technician program; proof of continuing education in anesthesia, and documentary evidence of advanced competence in veterinary anesthesia skills. If your credentials are accepted, you will then be eligible to sit for the certifying examination.   

The application process is very detailed and instructions are provided in the application packet.  You can have a VTS mentor assigned to assist you with the process.

The examination is multiple choice. The examination committee may choose to include any or all of the following as part of the testing process: oral examination, latent image, computer simulations, or audiovisual aids.   

Topics to be covered on the examination are those that are crucial to emergency and critical care nursing. Topics to be covered will include, but are not limited to: Anesthesia/Analgesia, Cardiovascular, Respiratory, Gastrointestinal ( incl. hepatic, acute abdomen, pancreatitis, peritonitis), Urinary, Fluid/Electrolyte/Acid-Base, Endocrine/Metabolic, Hemolymphatic/Immunologic (incl. Oncology), Neurologic, Musculoskeletal, Toxicology/Pharmacology, Reproductive, Misc. Triage/Emergency Care ( incl. Burns, ophthalmology, envenomation, hyper/hypothermia, exotics, procedures/equipment not specifically related to other systems, etc). Ancillary diagnostic techniques will be included in each topic were appropriate. Anatomy and physiology, data collection/identification of problems will also be covered. Technicians certified as VTS (Emergency & Critical Care) need to have an understanding of clinical techniques and how procedures are performed. Therefore, the examination will also include indications, equipment needed, complications, and troubleshooting with regards to common clinical procedures.   

 We offer the exam at the yearly IVECCS meeting. 

 Reading journal articles or books, and attending anesthesia seminars is a good start.